Sunday, July 18, 2010

Indeed, from the State Department Visa Office's report for fiscal year 2009, we can determine exactly how many "other workers" green cards were given to residents of Mexico, rather than immigrants already in the United States adjusting their status.

The answer? 23.

You have to hand it to Joe Arpaio. Yes, his father legally immigrated to the United States—just one year before the force of anti-Italian bigotry made it almost impossible for his countrymen to follow. And now, if a young Mexican resembling Nicola Arpaio wants to come to the United States, Joe's response is that he should stay in Mexico, get in line, and hope that he's one of the lucky 23 granted passage from a country of 110 million.

After all, he wouldn't want to be illegal.

(emphases in original)

"Other workers" (EB-3) green cards are those reserved for non-highly-skilled immigrants. In other words, it's the sort of green card that most Latino immigrants would have to apply for. Undocumented immigrants almost literally have no chance to improve their lives except by crossing the border illegally, and then they are threatened for choosing to do so. This is nonsensical or immoral. Perhaps both.